BiometricsCAPPS IICensorship ... Other ways you can help Server hosting and bandwidth services donated by the good folks at craigslist and UnitedLayer Inc. EFF would also like to thank these companies and individuals that have made significant generous donations to help make our work possible. Make your voice heard. Join EFF now! FEATURED NEWS Maryland Election Officials Under Fire From Voters Full ReleaseBrief (PDF, 307k), Further Exhibits June 2, 2004 FBI's "National Security Letters" Threaten Online Speech and Privacy San Francisco, CA The Electronic Frontier Foundation yesterday filed a friend-of-the court brief supporting the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in a suit challenging the constitutionality of National Security Letters (NSLs). "Before PATRIOT, the FBI could use National Security Letters only for securing the records of suspected terrorists or spies," said EFF Attorney and Equal Justice Works Fellow Kevin Bankston. "Now the FBI can use them to get private records about anybody it thinks could be relevant to a terrorism or espionage investigation, without ever having to show probable cause to a judge." Full ReleaseAmicus Brief (PDF) May 24, 2004

2. EFF-Austin Project of the ACLUTexas and chair of the E-Voting Project of the Electronic Frontier Foundation of Austin Cory Doctorow of the Electronic Frontier Foundation "A bunch of my EFFhttp://www.effaustin.org/

To subscribe to our announcement list, announce at effaustin.org: send a blank message to announce-subscribe at effaustin.org To subscribe to our discussion list, discuss at effaustin.org: send a blank message to discuss-subscribe at effaustin.org To contact EFF-Austin, send email to info at effaustin.org

EFF-Austin News

Monday, May 31, 2004 FBI's "National Security Letters" Threaten Online Speech and Privacy San Francisco, May 25 The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) yesterday filed a friend-of-the court brief supporting the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in a suit challenging the constitutionality of National Security Letters (NSLs). Authorized by the USA PATRIOT Act and issued directly by FBI agents without any court supervision and without a show of probable cause, the letters are used to demand detailed information about people's private Internet communications from ISPs, web mail providers, and other communications service providers. The people whose communications are searched are not notified, and every letter is accompanied by a gag order that prohibits the letter's recipient from ever revealing its existence. Continued at EFF's web site.

Electronic Frontier Canada

Electronic Frontier Canada (EFC) was founded to ensure that the principles embodied in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms remain protected as new computing, communications, and information technologies are introduced into Canadian society. Contact EFCJoin EFCEFC Mailing ListsPR ... Media Archives

Current Issues

March 2004: Yahoo sues Canadians over spam

According to the March 11 Kitchener-Waterloo Record , Eric Daniel Head, Matthew Head, and Barry Head are being sued by Yahoo! Inc under terms of the US's new anti-spam legislation. Yahoo! accuses the Heads of sending almost 100 million e-mail messages to its subscribers. EFC's Vice-President Jeffrey Shallit appeared in interviews on CH TV and in the Kitchener-Waterloo Record . He cautioned that legislative solutions to spam may not be the best route to follow.

February/March 2004: EFC intervenes in CRIA suit

this article in the Toronto Star. EFC's petition was granted and is being heard in court on March 12, 2004. Here is our court submission

February/March 2004: CIPPIC intervenes in CRIA suit

CIPPIC, the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa, has intervened in the recent CRIA suit. See their document

EFF Analysis Of The Provisions Of The USA PATRIOT Act

That Relate To Online Activities (Oct 31, 2001)

Introduction

On October 26, 2001, President Bush signed the USA Patriot Act (USAPA) into law. With this law we have given sweeping new powers to both domestic law enforcement and international intelligence agencies and have eliminated the checks and balances that previously gave courts the opportunity to ensure that these powers were not abused. Most of these checks and balances were put into place after previous misuse of surveillance powers by these agencies, including the revelation in 1974 that the FBI and foreign intelligence agencies had spied on over 10,000 U.S. citizens, including Martin Luther King.

A Rush Job

The bill is 342 pages long and makes changes, some large and some small, to over 15 different statutes. This document provides explanation and some analysis to the sections of the bill relating to online activities and surveillance. Other sections, including those devoted to money laundering, immigration and providing for the victims of terrorism, are not discussed here. Yet even just considering the surveillance and online provisions of the USAPA, it is a large and complex law that had over four different names and several versions in the five weeks between the introduction of its first predecessor and its final passage into law. While containing some sections that seem appropriate providing for victims of the September 11 attacks, increasing translation facilities and increasing forensic cybercrime capabilities it seems clear that the vast majority of the sections included have not been carefully studied by Congress, nor was sufficient time taken to debate it or to hear testimony from experts outside of law enforcement in the fields where it makes major changes. This concern is amplified because several of the key procedural processes applicable to any other proposed laws, including inter-agency review, the normal committee and hearing processes and thorough voting, were suspended for this bill.

5. PCWorld.com - Users Warned About Anti-Piracy Campaign Individuals should not accept RIAA's offer of amnesty, privacy group says. U.S. privacy group the Electronic Frontier Foundation is warning individuals not to admit to illegally trading copyrighthttp://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,112362,00.asp

6. Electronic Frontier Foundation The Electronic Frontier Foundation Gopher server contains a large number of materials on all aspects of intellectual property.http://arl.cni.org/scomm/copyright/EFF.html

The Electronic Frontier Foundation Gopher server contains a large number of materials on all aspects of intellectual property. In particular, there are a large number of materials related to intellectual property and the NII, and to intellectual property laws and software.

EFF Analysis Of The Provisions Of The USA PATRIOT Act

That Relate To Online Activities (Oct 31, 2001)

Introduction

On October 26, 2001, President Bush signed the USA Patriot Act (USAPA) into law. With this law we have given sweeping new powers to both domestic law enforcement and international intelligence agencies and have eliminated the checks and balances that previously gave courts the opportunity to ensure that these powers were not abused. Most of these checks and balances were put into place after previous misuse of surveillance powers by these agencies, including the revelation in 1974 that the FBI and foreign intelligence agencies had spied on over 10,000 U.S. citizens, including Martin Luther King.

A Rush Job

The bill is 342 pages long and makes changes, some large and some small, to over 15 different statutes. This document provides explanation and some analysis to the sections of the bill relating to online activities and surveillance. Other sections, including those devoted to money laundering, immigration and providing for the victims of terrorism, are not discussed here. Yet even just considering the surveillance and online provisions of the USAPA, it is a large and complex law that had over four different names and several versions in the five weeks between the introduction of its first predecessor and its final passage into law. While containing some sections that seem appropriate providing for victims of the September 11 attacks, increasing translation facilities and increasing forensic cybercrime capabilities it seems clear that the vast majority of the sections included have not been carefully studied by Congress, nor was sufficient time taken to debate it or to hear testimony from experts outside of law enforcement in the fields where it makes major changes. This concern is amplified because several of the key procedural processes applicable to any other proposed laws, including inter-agency review, the normal committee and hearing processes and thorough voting, were suspended for this bill.

EFF's Privacy Now! Campaign

Right now there is a lack of awareness about how extensively personal information that has been collected is used on the Net and to whom this information is shared. Most don't realize the vast information sharing chain that exists once a company or governmental agency obtains your personal information. In some cases, personal information about you that will be shared might contain only a name and an email address. Oftentimes though, personal information can include name, address, email address, social security numbers, URLs for web sites you've visited, as well as other information that may have been built up about you in a profile. Why does this matter? Aggregation of data from different sources allows others to form opinions of you, to market items to you in a specific way, or to possibly discriminate against you, based on a profile that may or may not be accurate. Unwanted disclosure of information often has similar consequences. Consequences can range from simple embarrassment to serious problems such as harassment, violence, insurance cancellation, loss of job or home, and relationship issues with family and friends. To help raise awareness and to give you a way to fight back, EFF has launched an ongoing privacy campaign to show clearly the long, convoluted path that your personal information makes as it is shared among a myriad of organizations.

Google pulls, replaces Web page critical of Scientology

By Elinor Mills Abreu SAN FRANCISCO, March 21 (Reuters) - Google Inc. restored a Web site critical of the Church of Scientology on its Internet search engine on Thursday while free speech advocates slammed the company for removing the site in the first place. The home page for Xenu.net was "inadvertently removed" along with a long, two-page list of associated Web pages on Wednesday but was put back on Thursday, said Google spokeswoman Cindy McCaffrey. Neither she nor Krane were available for further comment. On Thursday evening, the Web site was listed fourth under Google search results for "Scientology" and 8th under "Church of Scientology." The Church of Scientology, whose members include actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta, has mounted challenges to Web sites and organizations that are critical of it in the past. STIFLING CRITICISM The DMCA protects companies that host or link to Web sites from being held liable if they notify allegedly offending Web sites that there is a complaint about them and give them a chance to respond, Gross said.

How I supported the Electronic Frontier Foundation and changed the world.

The EFF urgently needs your support now. Don't just read this join or donate today. After selling my company, ClariNet Communications Corp. to Individual Inc., I looked forward to a bit more free time once freed of the CEO's seat. One of the things I've done is to become chairman of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and contribute money to it. I want to tell you why in the hope that it might convince you that, if you have money or time you intend to apply towards the promotion of goals and causes, the EFF presents an opportunity to be carefully considered. I want it to be your decision to do this. I've always found that when I make any donation, the worst thing is to be told that it's your duty or made to think it was somebody else's idea. Giving finds its best joy when you know the giving originates inside yourself. There are loads of worthy causes and charities to help. If, like me, you now feel you have exceeded the amount of wealth or income required for your personal desires and needs, you may even be looking for something to do that will meet goals outside of yourself.

So why the EFF?

13. SCO SUCKS - Anti-TShirts Support the open source cause. Buy a tshirt (SCO No Code), and/or vinyl sticker. A fraction of each sale is donated to the fund of your choice Open Source Now Fund, Electronic Frontier Foundation.http://antitshirts.com/

SCO Sucks SCO Sucks We don't like SCO... So what are we going to do about it? Buy these stickers and t-shirts and show your distaste! Sco Sucks! Anti-SCO T-shirt Linux Users Unite! The t-shirt states "NO CODE" underneath the anti-sco logo. $1 of every t-shirt purchased goes to the fund of your choice. In addition, you can donate more money during the checkout process. Show off how much you hate SCO everyday! These shirts are professionally silk screened, not the low quality, iron-on crap that most t-shirt sites sell. Select Option $11.50 - Small White $11.50 - Medium White $11.50 - Large White $11.50 - XLarge White $13.00 - XXLarge White Quantity: Anti-SCO Vinyl Sticker This 2.5" Vinyl Sticker should be placed proudly on cars, bikes, SCO Headquarters, or just about anywhere. $.50 of every sticker purchased goes to the fund of your choice. Select Option $2.50 - 2.5" Vinyl Sticker Quantity: Affiliate Program available, please contact sales@antitshirts.com if you would like to join. 5% commission. Oh, and SCO Sucks

14. EFF Welcome to the Electronic Frontier Foundation Action Center! Here you'll find alerts on technology and civil Electronic voting and its problems - have been all over the news inhttp://rdre1.inktomi.com/click?u=http://action.eff.org/&y=023148F14F8D8B0B&a

15. Electronic Frontier Canada - Archives The (US) Electronic Frontier Foundation designed and built a machine for less than$250,000 that can successfully decipher messages encrypted using the 56bithttp://www.efc.ca/efc-archives.html

- Archives - For more information, please consult the EFC Gopher , our main archive. The Searchable Index will help you find what interests you. We also have several mailing lists: efc-talk is a discussion list for current topics of interest; efc-announce has infrequent announcements or press releases. To join either list, just send a subscribe message to efc-talk-request@efc.ca and/or efc-announce-request@efc.ca Our growing collection of legal information, which includes copies of legislation, court decisions, and other background documents, has been moved onto a separate Legal Resources Page Be sure to see read about cyberspace issues that have been in the news recently by visiting our Media Archives

Canada's new Privacy Law

The federal government recently enacted a new privacy law to help protect your personal information when it is collected and shared by companies. If you would like to learn more about this law, which comes into effect in January, 2001, please visit the following web page, maintained by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

EFF's net.culture archives

File containing an article from UK's Guardian newspaper. Richard Curtis, screenwriter for "Blackadder" (a successful British comedy series) and the movie "Four Weddings and a Funeral," offers a humorous look at the Internet from the view of a novice user.

George Gilder's history of the ethernet entitled "Metcalf's Law and Legacy," first published in Forbes ASAP. (September 13, 1993)

The Implications of Electronic Information for the Sociology of Knowledge

Richard A. Lanham, professor of English, UCLA. "This paper argues that the fundamental "operating system" for the humanities is changing from the book to the digital multimedia computer screen. It outlines the consequences of this move for the creation, performance, teaching, and study of literature, music, and the visual arts. It concludes with a suggestion for how this movement from page to digital display might inform the administrative changes forced upon the university by the current shortage of money."

18. Group Backs ISP In Online Gaming Dispute | CNET News.com The Electronic Frontier Foundation announced Tuesday that it will provide legal representation for a St. Louis Internet service provider threatened by media conglomerate Vivendi Universal for hosting online versions of Vivendi games. By David Becker. CNethttp://news.com.com/2100-1040-858414.html

CNET

News.com

Group backs ISP in online gaming dispute

Last modified: March 12, 2002, 4:35 PM PST By David Becker Staff Writer The Electronic Frontier Foundation announced Tuesday that it will provide legal representation for a St. Louis Internet service provider threatened by media conglomerate Vivendi Universal for hosting online versions of Vivendi games. Vivendi's legal counsel sent Internet Gateway, a regional ISP, a letter late last month demanding that the company stop offering downloads of bnetd , volunteer-created software that allows individuals to run servers to host several popular online games. Games supported by bnetd include "Diablo II" and "StarCraft," both published by Blizzard Entertainment, a subsidiary of Vivendi. Blizzard runs its own servers for "StarCraft" and other games as part of its free Battle.net service. Players have complained that the Battle.net servers are slow and prone to crash, however. "When 'Diablo II' came out, there were times the first month where I could hardly ever connect to actually get into a game," said Tim Jung, president of

Older materials:

Open License archive We now recommend the Creative Commons licenses over EFF's Open Audio License because we believe that consistency in licensing and the CC licenses' machine-readable code will help both listeners and creators to find and combine works more easily. HOMEISSUESCASESGET INVOLVED ... VOLUNTEER